It's 2 a.m. and your newborn is crying. You wonder if you’ll ever get a good night's sleep again. Although life with a newborn is a round-the-clock adventure, hope is in sight. By age 3 months, many babies sleep up to five hours during the night. By age 6 months, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are possible. In the meantime, a little creativity can help you sneak in as many ZZZs as possible.

Sleep when your baby sleeps. Turn off the ringer on the phone, hide the laundry basket and ignore the dishes in the kitchen sink.

Set aside your social graces. When friends and loved ones visit, don’t offer to be the host. Let them care for the baby while you excuse yourself for some much-needed rest.

Reclaim your bedroom. At first, it may be most practical to share a bedroom with your baby — especially if you’re breast-feeding. But if your baby's breathing, squirming and general restlessness keep you awake, separate rooms may be the key to sound sleep.

Turn down the baby monitor. Lying in bed listening to every breath may be just as disruptive as having your baby in the room. Adjust the volume based on how loudly your baby cries.

Share night time duties. Work out a schedule with your partner that allows both of you to rest and care for the baby.

Postpone the inevitable. Sometimes, middle- of-the-night fussing or crying is simply a sign that your baby is settling down. Unless you suspect that your baby is hungry or uncomfortable, it's okay to wait a few minutes to see what happens.

- excerpt from www.kidshealth.org -